Starting Over by Stevie Goodman (brene brown rising strong .TXT) 📕

​“Okay.” Sandra said following the woman into the back. They walked into a small office. She sat down at a chair in front of a nice size desk. Alexandra set down a stack of paper. She flipped through the paper showing Sandra where to sign. After two hours of filling out paperwork, they finished. Sandra’s last step was to take it to her husband and have him sign. She put the papers into her purse, and drove home. By the time she got home the children were already in the house. Sandra walked through the door making a point to avoid Derick. She shot a small smile at the children, and ran up the stairs. She shut the door and locked it. She fell asleep stomach churning. She woke up earlier than usual. She walked out of her room down the stairs. Everyone was still asleep, the kids in their rooms and Derek on the couch. She walked into the kitchen and started making breakfast. Pancakes, bacon and eggs wafted through the air of the house. Four sleepy eyed children stumbled into the kitchen following the smell of bacon. The next person to enter the kitchen was Derick. His anger from the previous night had not yet worn of. He pounded into the kitchen, dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. Sandra stumbled backwards at his presence.

​“Where were you last night, did you run off with some other man, slut!” He yelled. Sandra looked appalled. The children cowered on the other side of the kitchen too afraid to look, but also too afraid to leave their mother.

​“No I just went over to Jenny’s house, that’s all.” She stuttered. Derrick took three heavy steps towards Sandra. She stumbled back a bit more. He grabbed her arm and threw her to the floor. Sandra cried out. Derick raised his hand and hit her several times, until he felt satisfied. When he was done Sandra pulled herself off the floor. She glared at Derick.

​“Go to work, I will drop the kids off at school” she said solemnly. Derek grabbed his keys and headed out the door. Sandra grabbed her purse pulling the divorce papers out. She flung the papers on to the dining room table. She wrote a little note that said Derick please sign this. Then she got the kids ready for school and into the car. At this point she was done. She grabbed her keys and a small suitcase. He always told her what to do, what not to do. She was sick of it. She dropped the kids off and headed for the nearest beauty salon.

​“Good morning mam, how can we help you” the receptionist said with a smile.

​“I need a cut and color” Sandra responded. The receptionist pointed to a tall woman with black hair standing next to a salon chair. Sandra described her desired look to the stylist and watched as her long blond hair fell to the ground.

​“And what color were you thinking” the stylist questioned.

​“Black, ya black” Sandra responded. An hour later Sandra stood in the mirror and carefully looked over her new hair. It barely reached past her fine jaw bones highlighting the shape of her face. The black brought out the green in her eyes i mean clly. Next, she though, shopping spree. By the end of the day she had a whole new look. when she looked in the mirror, she could barely recognize herself. Now for her last stop, the Denver Airport. She approached the lady at the front desk.

​“I need one first class ticket to New York as soon as possible please” Sandra asked. The woman typed a few commands into the computer then handed her a ticket for a plane boarding in an hour.

​“Here you go” she smiled. Sandra headed for security. At the entrance of the security a woman asked for her ID and ticket. Sandra handed both to her.

​“You barely look like this woman. You running away from something” the lady asked.

​“No, I’m just starting over Sandra responded.

​“Well good luck” the woman said as she beckoned Sandra towards the metal detectors. Sandra got through the line just in time to make her plane. The plane ride was about three hours long. Sandra did not mined though, her seating was not bad. Next to her sat an attractive man in his mid-thirties.

​“Hello my name is Connor, and you are” he asked.

​“I’m Elaina, nice to meet you” Sandra smiled.

Publication Date: 01-29-2013

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